The invention relates to a package and delivery system for retail accessory items and method of use, utilizing a display and a central order fulfillment facility. The system enables the retailer to maintain a minimal inventory of each retail item displayed.
The invention constitutes a retail display that is an underlying core feature of a retail business method for purchasing consumer items that are packaged at an order fulfillment facility or center in graphically appealing boxes, and that are sent via domestic and international postal means or commercial carriers.
The invention enables the retailer to more effectively use valuable floor space by eliminating the need to stock, both on the sales floor and in designated warehouse space, a significant inventory of product. In fact, the retailer is able to offer more items, typically accessory items, because the retailer needs only a representative sampling of the actual product or just photographs, illustrations, and other representative models of the products being offered for sale. This is done by the use of a display where a buyer can view the sampling and purchase the item by taking and completing the information on a card, which serves both as a receipt for the buyer and an order form, which in turn, is forwarded to a central distribution center or order fulfillment facility.
Most department stores and other retail outlets sell items from hangars on racks or on tables. This is cumbersome to the purchaser as the purchaser has to move through the inventory to make an eventual selection, checking not only for right style or size, but also checking to see if other consumers rummaging through the stock may have soiled or damaged the product, thereby selecting the least handled product being offered for sale. Sales clerks or stock personnel have to spend a lot of time re-stocking the sales floor, refolding clothing items, and relocating misplaced items to their proper rack or table. As a result, retailers have to hire more employees who cannot devote their time to assisting potential customers, resulting in loss sales.
The new display characteristic of the invention can free up low profit areas of floor plans and instead create small profit centers in place of expensive racking and inventory requirements. In effect, each display is tantamount to a store within a store.
The order fulfillment facility sends the purchased item to the recipient by whatever shipping or mailing means chosen and pre-purchased by the buyer.
The receipt portion of the card is preferably of a postcard form, which can be addressed to a third party recipient, thereby notifying the recipient of the eventual receipt of a gift from the purchaser or confirming that the buyer has made a proxy purchase of an item on behalf of the recipient and the recipient should expect imminent or impending delivery.
The invention would be extremely useful and beneficial to merchants in Biz Ops, Sports Venues, private labeling business for other manufacturers, gift shops, kiosks and retail establishments in malls and plazas that sell accessory items such as ties, belts, novelty products, wallets, shirts, lingerie, cosmetics, jewelry, watches and the like, ships"" stores on cruise vessels, shops in airline terminals. Space is crucial to each of these types of commercial establishments. Stocking inventory is costly and unsold product on floor space for which the monthly rental cost per square foot is anywhere from $15.00 to $50.00 is counter-productive to the effective commercial viability of many business establishments. Many compromise by not offering a greater variety of products because they simply lack floor space and they can not afford the move to a larger store.
As styles change, the establishments then have to sell off the inventory at sales prices, often less than actual cost, which results in operating losses due to the fixed overhead costs associated with floor space.
Regarding the ships"" stores, gift shops and airline terminal shops, the invention is very accommodating to the needs international tourism. Tourists purchase items and then must worry about carrying the items or packing the items. This can be an inconvenience when purchased gifts need to be packed in suitcases that are already over-packed. Many items are purchased at the last moments as a tourist or traveler is entering the terminal or leaving the cruise ship. As a result, the purchaser must carry the purchased item in a bag as a carry-on. Not only is this another burden on the traveler, the incentive to purchase items is presently diminished as a result of the aftermath of the horrific events occurring on Sep. 11, 2001. Travelers can no longer bring carry-on baggage on certain airlines or are limited to one carry-on baggage. As sales drop in terminal shops, these shops may eventually have to close. The present invention allows sales to continue at present levels without burdening the traveler or airlines with additional baggage storage needs.
The invention covers the concept of retailers selling prepackaged apparel and other items in specific packaging. The tourist can view the product line in the inventory free display at a retail location or airport or other retail business establishments by means of sample packaging and limited examples of apparel and/or accessory items that are displayed. The examples of packaging can be exact examples and/or photos or illustrations of the packaging encompassing all design elements.
The retailer sells the apparel or accessory item by typically charging the consumer""s credit card or debit card, although the retailer may still take checks or cash. The retailer typically takes from the consumer a combination card comprising a two part separable form, generally separated by a perforated line. One portion of the card is effectively the order form which is processed to ship the purchased item to the recipient and the other (second) portion of the form is effectively a receipt that also serves as a postcard, which can be sent by the purchaser to the eventual recipient of the purchased item. In this way, the postcard serves as a notification to the recipient that the accessory item is in the process of being shipped (mailed) directly to the recipient. Alternatively, the consumer may travel home and give the postcard as a notice of the gift that will be shipped to the recipient.
The retailer sends the order information inclusive of design, item, size, etc., to a central distribution center or order fulfillment facility by phone or email, or by a website pull down menu. The facility may be one owned and operated by the retail establishment or it may be an independent facility. After the order is received, the fulfillment center sends the purchased item to the final recipient destination using addressee information provided by the purchaser on the order portion of the combination order/postcard.
The inventory free method and its display serves to direct the consumer to what the product is in terms of the offered apparel items being sold. The display may include information on how the delivery system works and how to use it, including how to return items.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention includes providing a package and delivery system display in a retail business establishment. The display typically would include a rack or holder for a plurality of a separable postcard and order combination card. The display would also have an example of the accessory item offered for sale by the retail business establishment.
The display may be a stand alone stand or table with hangers or holders for the postcard/order combination card and other related information literature or brochures. The display may have a designated area for hanging a sample of the accessory item. The accessory item may be framed or enclosed if it is a special clothing item, jewelry item, or any other item that the retailer deems appropriate to provide some measure of protection and security. The display should also have a designated portion, such as a projecting shelf or flat surface for use by purchasers in completing the requested information on the postcard/order combination card. If the accessory item can be purchased in a variety of colors, materials or styles (such as collarless and with collar, or long sleeve and short sleeve), the display may have a designated portion for attaching or hanging color swatches or material swatches, or photographs or the graphic illustrations of the available options.
The purchaser takes the postcard and order combination card from the display after deciding to purchase the desired accessory item represented by the example on the display. The purchaser annotates a name and address of an intended recipient on the order portion of the combination card, presents the combination card to a cashier and purchases the desired accessory item by paying a pre-calculated price. The pre-calculated price preferably includes all shipping and handling fees for shipping the desired accessory item to the intended recipient by private or governmental mail and package delivery methods, for example, the U.S. Postal Service, Fedex, UPS, and similar services using domestic and international mail and package delivery services.
The retailer retains the order portion of the combination card and the purchaser retains the postcard portion of the combination card. The retailer then forwards the order portion of the combination card to an order fulfillment facility, which then places the desired accessory item in a shipping container pre-sized to contain the purchased desired accessory item. Of course, the shipping container may already be pre-packaged.
The order fulfillment facility then places the name and address of the intended recipient on the shipping container, and mails the shipping container to the intended recipient by the selected private or governmental mail and package delivery method.
The use of the display and order fulfillment process enables the retailer to maintain a minimal inventory of the accessory item.
Although generally not limited thereto, it is anticipated that the accessory item best suited for immediately capitalizing on the invention is clothing apparel. Clothing apparel typically falls under the category of clothing accessories, including, but not limited to, shirt, socks, underwear, swim suits, belts, ties, shoes, purses, hand bags, and wallets, and other clothing accessories, or apparel may fall under the category of boutique items for clothing, including, but not limited to, jewelry, cuff links, tie clips, nail clipper set, and other boutique items for clothing, including lingerie and cosmetic products.
Additional description of the preferred embodiments of the invention are further described below in reference to the flow charts and diagrammatic representations embodied in the drawings described hereinafter.